Unincorporated Napa

Program H-5a: Continue to provide fee waivers for nonprofit affordable housing developers.

Removal of Government Constraints

Completed and Ongoing - Fee waivers are available for qualifying projects.

Program H-2e: Continue program of exempting all secondary residential units from the Growth Management System (GMS).

Objective H-2b: The County will seek to facilitate the development of second units with the objective of permitting development of at least 25 second units in zoning districts where they are allowed during the planning period.

Completed - 5 to 15 second unit permits are issued per year by right.

Program H-5c: Exempt affordable housing projects from the 30-acre minimum parcel size requirement for PD zones.

Removal of Government Constraints

Completed and Ongoing - Zoning regulations permit affordable housing on all PD properties.

Program H-1a: Continue to inspect housing in response to complaints, and work with property owners to bring units up to current housing code standards.

Objective H-1a: Through code enforcement efforts and funding assistance, the County will seek to facilitate the rehabilitation of 19 housing units in fair or dilapidated condition in the County or in the Cities that are occupied by low- (7 units), very low- (8 units), or extremely low income (4 units) households during the planning period.

Partially Complete and Ongoing - Code Enforcement Division diligently respond to complaints and pursue abatement of all violations.

Program H-5b: Expedite permit processing for housing projects that will serve very low-, low-, and moderate income households when such projects provide adequate assurances of long-term affordability.

Removal of Government Constraints

Completed and Ongoing - Expedited processing is available for qualifying projects.

Program H-2a: Prioritize the use of funds for development of Affordable Housing Combination District (AHCD) sites and Napa Pipe, and continue to work with interested parties to encourage their development of the sites under the AHCD provisions. The County will seek to work with a developer to process a development application on at least one AHCD site during the planning period.

Objective H-2a: The County will seek to facilitate the development of lower income units by prioritizing its Affordable Housing Fund monies to assist affordable housing development on Affordable Housing (:AH) Combination District sites and supporting affordable housing on the Napa Pipe site, with the objective of permitting and assisting development of at least 113 affordable units during the planning period (32 moderate, 30 low-, and 51 very low-income units, with a goal of half of the very low-income units serving the extremely low-income level)

The Napa Pipe project site has been fully annexed into the City of Napa, who will oversee and permit future development, including 140 affordable units. Up to 80% of County Affordable Housing Funds will be used to assist development of the affordable units.

Program H-1b: To the extent permitted by law, implement a program to enable non-profit organizations to apply for the use of up to 10 percent of new funds annually to fund projects and programs designed to correct health and safety hazards in owner-occupied and renter-occupied housing that is reserved for low-, very low-, or extremely low-income households.

Objective H-1b: The County will seek to make available up to 10 percent of new Affordable Housing Fund money annually to leverage federal, state, and other public and private housing rehabilitation funds.

In 2014, the County released a NOFA for small grants ($20,000) for this purposed. All funds were used. The County is working on rehab program guidelines and will have the program ready to apply for grant funding.

Program H-5d: Continue to implement the Growth Management System by (i) continuing the practice of accumulating unused Category 4 (affordable) permits indefinitely; (ii) continuing the practice of accumulating unused permits in other categories for three years; (iii) consolidating implementation of Category 1-3 permits except when a lottery is required; and (iv) simplifying periodic updates to the permit limit. Updates to the permit limit may occur on an annual basis, but in no case less frequently than this Housing Element is updated, and shall be calculated based on the population in unincorporated Napa County times one percent (0.01), divided by the estimated household size and adjusted to reflect the average annual growth rate of the nine Bay Area counties over the last 5-7 years (if less than 1%). In no instance shall the new permit limit be lower than the previous permit limit if the units are required to meet the County’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation, except as needed to adjust for annexations within the planning period. (Also see Policy Ag/LU-119 in the Agricultural Preservation and Land Use Element.)

Removal of Government Constraints

Completed and Ongoing - Residential permit activity is evaluated annually for compliance with the Growth Management System including carryover provisions for affordable housing units.

Program H-3a: Continue the County’s program of inspecting migrant farm labor housing to ensure compliance with state standards. Efforts will be made to seek compliance to avoid closure of such facilities.

Objective H-3a: Work to maintain occupancy of publicly-run farm worker centers to a year-round average of 75% or more.

Completed and Ongoing - Public farm labor housing is routinely inspected under the ongoing County work program. Private facilities are inspected by Environmental Management.

Program H-5e: Staff will report to the Board of Supervisors on the status of housing entitlement processing, including Napa Pipe and other priority sites and, if necessary, recommend changes in policies and regulations as appropriate to promote their development.

Removal of Government Constraints

Completed and Ongoing - General Plan and Housing Annual Report is prepared in the first quarter of every fiscal year and provided to Board of Supervisors for review, comment and direction.

Program H-3d: To the extent permitted by law, continue to require a preference for local workers, including farmworker households, in affordable housing developments assisted with Affordable Housing Fund monies, with a goal of including farmworker households in at least 10 percent of the units assisted with Affordable Housing Fund money. The County will monitor the percentage of farmworker households occupying housing units assisted with Affordable Housing Fund money in conjunction with income eligibility monitoring for affordable housing units.

Objective H-3c: Encourage and facilitate development of six new farm labor dwellings on agriculturally-zoned properties and encourage and facilitate development of one new multifamily housing complex targeted to families within the County.

Completed and Ongoing - Permanent affordable housing projects receiving county funds include occupancy by farmworkers and their families.

Program H-3f: Continue to monitor the need for farm worker housing throughout the harvest season.

Objective H-3c: Encourage and facilitate development of six new farm labor dwellings on agriculturally-zoned properties and encourage and facilitate development of one new multifamily housing complex targeted to families within the County.

Completed and Ongoing – In 2021 Napa County obtained competitive REAP grant funds through ABAG to explore further opportunities for the establishment of Farm Worker housing projects.

Program H-4e: When requested by Mid-Peninsula Housing, the designated developer for affordable housing at Napa Pipe, Napa County will assist in identifying and securing funding for the 140 low- and very low-income housing units that are contemplated as part of the Napa Pipe Development Agreement. This will include providing information and other assistance in the preparation of applications to third parties for funding assistance. The County also anticipates that the development agreement for the Napa Pipe property will specify that a significant portion of affordable housing impact fees paid by development at Napa Pipe will be dedicated to assisting affordable housing onsite. Finally, consistent with Program H-2a, the County’s Affordable Housing Ordinance gives funding priority for all available housing trust fund monies to projects located in the unincorporated area.

Objective H-4a: Make available permits for construction of up to 105 new dwelling units each year, exclusive of permits for secondary residential units, and exclusive of permits for “carryover” affordable housing units. Permits for non-affordable housing units not issued in one year may be issued in any of the following three years, thereby allowing the number of permits issued to exceed 105 in a given year when unused permits are available from prior years. The County will set aside a minimum of 16 permits each year for affordable housing units, as defined in the County’s Growth Management System, in addition to 630 such permits that the County projects will be available in 2014 for issuance for units affordable to lower and moderate income households.

The first of two affordable housing developments at Napa Pipe is in the pre-development phase for a total of 140 new units. SB235 (2019) implemented to address RHNA credit between County and Napa City.

Program H-2g: Continue to use the Affordable Housing (:AH) Combination District as a tool to provide specific and reasonable development standards and stimulate affordable housing production in designated locations, as described in Appendix H-1.

Objective H-2a: The County will seek to facilitate the development of lower income units by prioritizing its Affordable Housing Fund monies to assist affordable housing development on Affordable Housing (:AH) Combination District sites and supporting affordable housing on the Napa Pipe site, with the objective of permitting and assisting development of at least 113 affordable units during the planning period (32 moderate, 30 low-, and 51 very low-income units, with a goal of half of the very low-income units serving the extremely low-income level)

Completed and Ongoing - 12 Affordable Housing sites are designated with a combined potential realistic unit count of 427 units (Table H-F: Summary of Housing Sites Inventory).

Program H-6c: Continue to enforce current state mandated standards governing the use of energy efficient construction, and continue to implement green building standards in building code.

Objective H-6a: The County will ensure that all new housing units constructed countywide meet or exceed State energy efficiency standards.

Completed and Ongoing - Building Division evaluates permits applications for compliance with energy and green building standards.

Program H-2f: Continue to require new affordable housing development projects receiving Affordable Housing Fund monies or any other type of County assistance, as well as those units built as part of the County’s inclusionary housing requirement, to apply deed restrictions that will require affordability of assisted low- and very low-income units for a minimum of 40 years.

Objective H-2a: The County will seek to facilitate the development of lower income units by prioritizing its Affordable Housing Fund monies to assist affordable housing development on Affordable Housing (:AH) Combination District sites and supporting affordable housing on the Napa Pipe site, with the objective of permitting and assisting development of at least 113 affordable units during the planning period (32 moderate, 30 low-, and 51 very low-income units, with a goal of half of the very low-income units serving the extremely low-income level)

Completed and Ongoing - Application of deed restrictions is a prerequisite for Board of Supervisors funding authorization.

Program H-2k: Continue to allow infrastructure improvements as an eligible cost under the Affordable Housing Ordinance, and work with affected agencies to pursue grant money to improve water and sewer infrastructure on the Angwin, Moskowite Corner, and Spanish Flat sites to facilitate affordable housing development.

Objective H-2a: The County will seek to facilitate the development of lower income units by prioritizing its Affordable Housing Fund monies to assist affordable housing development on Affordable Housing (:AH) Combination District sites and supporting affordable housing on the Napa Pipe site, with the objective of permitting and assisting development of at least 113 affordable units during the planning period (32 moderate, 30 low-, and 51 very low-income units, with a goal of half of the very low-income units serving the extremely low-income level)

Completed and Ongoing Infrastructure improvements are an eligible cost and grant applications can be pursued at the time the projects move forward in :AH districts. Funds to be made available for water and sewer agencies to apply for upgrades in Angwin, Moskowite Corner and Spanish Flats.

Program H-3i: In soliciting developer requests for Affordable Housing Fund monies, encourage developers to propose projects that can address unmet needs for housing with supportive services for the disabled (including the developmentally disabled).

Objective H-3b: Provide Affordable Housing Fund resources for the development and operation of emergency shelter and transitional housing facilities for eight homeless families in a partnership between the County Department of Health and Human Services and a non-profit. (December 31, 2014)

Completed and Ongoing - An MOU Agreement has been executed for one project currently under construction with another three projects willing to include permanent supportive units in their developments.

Program H-4d: Continue to allow accessory residential units in commercial zones where compatible with neighboring land uses, and where infrastructure is available to support the residential units.

Objective H-4a: Make available permits for construction of up to 105 new dwelling units each year, exclusive of permits for secondary residential units, and exclusive of permits for “carryover” affordable housing units. Permits for non-affordable housing units not issued in one year may be issued in any of the following three years, thereby allowing the number of permits issued to exceed 105 in a given year when unused permits are available from prior years. The County will set aside a minimum of 16 permits each year for affordable housing units, as defined in the County’s Growth Management System, in addition to 630 such permits that the County projects will be available in 2014 for issuance for units affordable to lower and moderate income households.

Completed and Ongoing - Zoning regulations allow accessory dwelling units in commercial zoning districts.

Program H-2b: Continue to encourage greater provision of affordable housing units in conjunction with market rate projects by implementing the Affordable Housing Ordinance, which requires an inclusionary percentage of 17 to 20 percent in for-sale projects, allows the payment of housing impact fees in for-sale housing projects only for developments of four or fewer units, and requires new rental developments to pay a housing impact fee. The County will conduct a nexus study during the Housing Element planning period to verify the residential fee amounts and inclusionary percentages.

Objective H-2a: The County will seek to facilitate the development of lower income units by prioritizing its Affordable Housing Fund monies to assist affordable housing development on Affordable Housing (:AH) Combination District sites and supporting affordable housing on the Napa Pipe site, with the objective of permitting and assisting development of at least 113 affordable units during the planning period (32 moderate, 30 low-, and 51 very low-income units, with a goal of half of the very low-income units serving the extremely low-income level)

Completed and Ongoing - The Residential Impact fees were updated in 2010 and the Commercial Fees were updated in 2014. Both sets of fees used a phase-in approach over three years to get to the maximum fee level.